1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input and output device and, more particularly, to an image input and output device which is enabled by using both a laser beam source of a laser beam printer (which will be shortly referred to as a "laser printer") and an optical system therefor to have two functions of an image input device and an image output device (i.e., the laser printer).
2. Description of the Prior Art
The laser printer used widely in the prior art is enabled to have a function to scan a photo-conductive drum with a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source thereby to transfer the image formed on the drum surface to a sheet of printer paper. However, the laser printer does not have an image input function to photoelectrically convert the picture image on the paper thereby to feed the electric signals to a computer or the like.